It is my business and my business alone as to what I put in my body, smoke, ingest or rub all over. I do not vote for a government that believes it (the people who get a big head once elected or appointed) to tell me what I can eat, wear, watch or hear etc.

Tom, I agree with the drug testing of welfare queens and kings. When the government sticks an IRS gun up my nose and tells me I must give them money so they can give it to someone else, then I have the right to say how the recipient spends it. I have no choice about taking drugs if I want to. It is illegal. Welfare recipeints have a choice...drugs or welfare...not both.

You know the old saying about "your freedom to swing your fist wherever you want ends an inch from my nose."

Your freedom to live your life however you want, and abuse whatever substances you want, ends at the line where it impinges on my liberty, and I have to bear the costs of picking up your pieces, putting you through rehab, paying the costs for your infant born damaged because of it, etc. Not to mention the variety of welfare entitlements that stem from the 'freedom to abuse.'

“Your freedom to live your life however you want, and abuse whatever substances you want, ends at the line where it impinges on my liberty, and I have to bear the costs of picking up your pieces, putting you through rehab, paying the costs for your infant born damaged because of it, etc. Not to mention the variety of welfare entitlements that stem from the 'freedom to abuse.'”

Ok, on Wednesday I smoked a little weed before going to the Sea Dogs game (I wasn’t driving). First time for the week. I had a few beers and considered a Sea Dogs biscuit but decided against the calories. Great seats right behind the plate.

How did I impinge your liberty or make you bear any cost?

Oh wait, you disapprove and thus think big government should step in and stop me to preserve your self-righteous view of the world. Is that it? If so, then as a “conservative”, you’re a fraud.

Jack.
It appears you are still in the use legality part on the issue. You can use to your hearts desire when and where you choose.
It is settled, it is legal for you to get high ( the only intended result no matter what you call the experiecne). The isue on the table is commercial regulations etc..
Any thoughts that there weren't going to be any ,is proof in and by itself that there are negatives associated with use,IMO.

The people that legalization is going to hurt the most is the criminal element that makes a living selling pot and not paying taxes on the income. I don't know how many people I have talked to who are happy about being able to grow their own ...and save money.........I don't care what you do to yourself until it impacts me..... I personally am more worried about the diabetes epidemic that is gaining on us like a tidal wave....... Take a gander at all of the little porkers that are wandering around.....then think 10 or 15 years down the line..........

What "pieces?" Any of the destruction you cause to yourself or any others that involves taxpayer funds being dispersed for treatment, welfare, or anything else YOU don't pay for yourself. You need an EMT and Narcan? Fine...you get billed for actual costs.

You need rehab? Pay for it yourself. You have kids you don't live with? Pay the cost of their support.

Just don't look to the rest of us to clean up after you. Can you grasp that better than "pick up the pieces?"

So what is your point?
The issue here is the entire marijuana buisness and aspects of it.

Yes, we did have that issue with a change in law. Not m issue somone elses.
By the way I disagree with that prpoosal age increase.

All he responses just show me what this is all about.
A group of self centered freedom lovers wanting to do anythinng they want w/out any reconition that there is negatives that go along with
their freedom.
Yes, it is a nanny state that in your mind will screw things up.
Probably equally along with that will be the things screwed up by the freedom lovers of marijuana.

My point is that you're either in favor of the nanny state or you're against it.

One could argue that pot has externalities (i.e. druggies causing problems) but you could make the equally relevant case that people smoking pot means they're not snorting coke & drinking alcohol, both of which have worse externalities.

Also, if you consider that chewing tobacco causes mouth cancer, it's likely that it's not the smoking but the tobacco that causes the cancer.

(Full disclosure: I am not an oncologist and can only report on what I've read. Then again, I was a climate scientist and nobody believes anything I say about global warming, so what difference does it really make?)

The "opioid " epidemic came from big Pharma and dealing with pain. Before then it was just opium and heroin addiction, but big pharma made it BIG, something for everyone and those that steal it.

There is irony in the whole "war on drugs" like all the wars waged by the Empire of Chaos, if it is a plant that can be grown, it must be stamped out. If it is produced by a company, it is legal, but somehow will be controlled and the profits will go to the "right" people.

If you are just a farmer, a baker, an indian chief, you must be controlled, taxed and righfully inspected and licensed. If you are big pharma, weapon dealers, murderers, psychopaths, doctors lawyers, bankers you are welcomed into the fold and anything that goes awry is someone elses fault, surely not theirs.

The bullshit gets so high you can't even look over the top.

There will be little tax windfall from legal mary jane and that will burn their butt, its a plant stupid anyone with a lick of sense can grow it.

Given the number of things the government has told me are fine, and turn out to be horribly harmful, I will err on the side of avoiding adulterants in my body. Even popular and politically correct ones. Frankly, I just don't trust propaganda.